“9.7 x 8.0 x 6.0 cm. These are a neat example of interesting mineralogy, having talc replace a hard mineral like quartz. This is an incredibly rare pseudomorph of talc after quartz, on massive talc, from old Germany. Such large pieces are almost impossible to find. These pseudomorphs are quite old, and this one dates to the collection of Sir Robert Ferguson (1769-1840). He was a member of Parliament and the nobility from Kirkaldy, Scotland (he had stopped collecting by 1810, it is thought). I obtained it in London when his collection was dispersed in 1998. Unique to this location, the crystals are very sharp and have a soft vitreous luster. For more on Robert Ferguson, click here: http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1820-1832/member/ferguson-robert-1769-1840. Joe Budd photos. ”

“9.7 x 8.0 x 6.0 cm. These are a neat example of interesting mineralogy, having talc replace a hard mineral like quartz. This is an incredibly rare pseudomorph of talc after quartz, on massive talc, from old Germany. Such large pieces are almost impossible to find. These pseudomorphs are quite old, and this one dates to the collection of Sir Robert Ferguson (1769-1840). He was a member of Parliament and the nobility from Kirkaldy, Scotland (he had stopped collecting by 1810, it is thought). I obtained it in London when his collection was dispersed in 1998. Unique to this location, the crystals are very sharp and have a soft vitreous luster. For more on Robert Ferguson, click here: http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1820-1832/member/ferguson-robert-1769-1840. Joe Budd photos. ”